NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – Concluding a significant year for the publishing powerhouse, CTM Outlander today announces the acquisition of five-time Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum-selling, award-winning singer/songwriter Sam Hunt’s publishing catalog and signing of Hunt to a go-forward publishing deal for his future works.
Global superstar Hunt has quickly assumed recognition from both inside and outside the country music community for his blending of genres, incorporating R&B and pop into the production and songwriting of his songs. Hunt has been honored with numerous awards, including multiple Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM), an American Music Award (AMA), a Country Music Television (CMT) Music Award, and numerous nominations for the Grammys, CMA and Billboard awards.
CTM Outlander is a partnership between the innovative and disruptive Dallas, Texas-based Outlander Capital, led by Les Ware and Mike McKool, and the Dutch-based leading independent music entertainment company CTM, led by industry veteran André de Raaff.
“Discussing the sale of some of my catalog took a while, and I am glad that it did, as I got to know André and his CTM Outlander team better and better. They continued to meet with me and my team over the last several months to discuss what working together might look like. I appreciate their diligence and belief in what I do as an artist and, more importantly, as a songwriter. I believe we will have a productive partnership both internationally and here at home,” said Hunt.
A. de Raaff (CEO, CTM Outlander): “Sam has been on our radar for a long time, and we were very eager to work with him. Since we landed in Nashville, we signed some of the most prolific songwriters like Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Ross Copperman and Michael Tyler. By adding Sam to our roster, who is not only one of the most respected songwriters in town but also a global superstar and touring artist, we feel we can service the community even better.
We are truly honored that Sam, after being in talks with us for a long time, decided to sign with our company. Sam is an example of an artist and songwriter that we can help move forward in the international market; his body of work not only dominates the U.S. radio waves and streaming world but also travels worldwide. We look forward to supporting Sam in his endeavors and expansion and are excited to work with him in the country music space and international scene.”
M. McKool (Director, CTM Outlander): “We’re thrilled to add a singer-songwriter with the stature of Sam Hunt to the CTM Outlander family. Not only is he the type of artist we want to be in business with, but more importantly, he’s the type of person we want to invest in. Sam has clearly experienced an immense amount of success, and our goal at CTM Outlander is to provide Sam with the resources he needs to achieve all his future endeavors.”
Hunt’s debut studio album, Montevallo, broke several chart records with five singles, including three consecutive Hot Country Songs chart and four Country Airplay chart number ones. The lead single from the album, “Leave The Night On,” peaked concurrently on the Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, making Hunt the first country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus 22 years ago, to reach the top of three country charts simultaneously in the Nielsen SoundScan-era.
Hunt released his triple-platinum-selling sophomore album Southside in 2020, debuting No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and in the Top 5 of the Billboard Hot 200 all-genre chart.
The Georgia native has nine No. 1 hits including: “Body Like a Back Road,” “Kinfolks,” “Hard to Forget,” “House Party,” “Leave The Night On,” “Take Your Time,” “Make You Miss Me,” and “Breaking Up Was Easy In The 90’s.” Hunt also has success as a songwriter with several top artists. Some of his No. 1 hits as a songwriter include “Come Over” by Kenny Chesney, “Cop Car” by Keith Urban, “I Met A Girl” by William Michael Morgan and “We Are Tonight” by Billy Currington. Hunt has continued his success by releasing his No. 1 hit “23” and his current radio single “Outskirts,” which is currently in the Top 40 and climbing on country radio.
Hunt’s single “Body Like A Back Road” recently obtained RIAA Diamond certification (10x platinum), becoming the 8th country artist ever to reach this status. The single currently sits at 11x Platinum certification.
Derek Crownover, Willie Jones, Megan Pekar, and John Rolfe of Loeb and Loeb handled the transaction on behalf of Sam Hunt.
